This auspicious feature debut from Sam Raimi -- shot on 16mm in the woods of Tennesse for around $350,000 -- secured the young director's cult status as a creative force to be reckoned with. The nominal plot involves five vacationing… MoreThis auspicious feature debut from Sam Raimi -- shot on 16mm in the woods of Tennesse for around $350,000 -- secured the young director's cult status as a creative force to be reckoned with. The nominal plot involves five vacationing college kids -- Ash (Bruce Campbell), his girlfriend Linda (Betsy Baker), and their classmates Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss), Scott (Hal Delrich) and Shelly (Sarah York) -- making an unplanned stopover in an abandoned mountain cabin surrounded by impenetrable woods. Before settling in for the night, they come across an ancient-looking occult tome filled with dense hieroglyphics and macabre illustrations, a dagger fashioned from human bones, and a reel-to-reel tape recorder. The taped message, dictated by a professor of archaeology, describes the contents of the Sumerian "Book of the Dead," filled with incantations used to bring otherworldly demons to life, giving them license to possess the living. The message goes on to explain that those possessed by these demons can only be stopped by total bodily dismemberment. When played among the group later that evening, the professor's recorded translations of the ritual chants traumatize the strangely prescient Shelly ... and simultaneously release an ominous presence from the depths of the forest. The evil spirits take to their dirty work with gusto, first assuming control of Shelly and transforming her into a cackling, murderous hag with superhuman strength; the others imprison her in the fruit cellar and chain the trapdoor shut. The spirits then begin to possess the other women, including Linda -- who immediately turns on Ash with a barrage of punches and sadistic taunts. Unable to bring himself to chop up his lover's corpse, Ash gives her a more customary burial in the woods -- which proves to be a big mistake. As the others succumb to demonic influence, Ash's horrific predicament becomes increasingly grim until, when all hope seems lost, he stumbles upon a final, desperate solution to the ghoulish onslaught ... well, maybe not. Despite the shoestring production values, Raimi has fashioned a tight, lightning-paced fever dream of a movie, filled with operatic overacting and outrageously gory effects that give the project a comic-book feel. Based on an earlier 8mm short titled Within the Woods, this feature version was fraught with distribution difficulties before finding its first audience overseas. After considerable word of mouth (and a glowing endorsement from horror author Stephen King), the film became a hit on home video, where it achieved further notoriety thanks to its highly-publicized banning in Britain amid the notorious "Video Nasties" censorship campaign. Raimi, along with producer Robert Tapert, writer Scott Spiegel and much of the same crew, cranked up the story's comic aspects several dozen notches for the rollicking semi-remake, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

While injecting considerable black humor, neophyte Detroit-based writer-director Sam Raimi maintains suspense and a nightmarish mood in between the showy outbursts of special effects gore and graphic violence which are staples of modern horror pictures.

It has its moments, but it's largely unimpressive. It is too campy and too silly to be taken seriously or to be scary. The premise is interesting, but the… MoreIt has its moments, but it's largely unimpressive. It is too campy and too silly to be taken seriously or to be scary. The premise is interesting, but the plot feels too restricted. This movie had potential, but was executed poorly.

Nicki Marie

Fricken hated it. Non stop gore and just stupid. This from someone who loves the chucky movies.

Everett Johnson

"Evil Dead" is one of the all time best horror movies. It's bloody, crazy, funny, over the top, and just plain entertaining. Made in 1983 it… More"Evil Dead" is one of the all time best horror movies. It's bloody, crazy, funny, over the top, and just plain entertaining. Made in 1983 it launched the careers of director Sam Raimi, and Bruce Campbell. Campbell plays the legendary Ash, and if yo didn't know that, or know who Ash is, then stop reading and go watch this and it's two sequels. Ash is the ultimate horror movie hero, but here he is just a teenage kid trying to stop demons from killing him. The premise is simple. 5 college kids go to a cabin, find an evil book(the Book of the Dead!) in the basement which unleashes demons(aka deadites) upon them. The effects are so dated and cheesey, that it adds some serious charm to this movie. It doesn't hold up in the scary department, but it holds up as a throwback to the way horror movies should be made. Interesting note, it's actually an NC-17(there is a crazy vine rape scene, yeh..vines and rape), and I have a feeling that if this movie came out again it would still get that rating(the remake actually did!). I can't wait for the remake, and rewatching this just affirmed my excitement. I'm sure it won't be as good, but just going to a theater to see an "Evil Dead" movie is good enough for me.

Directors Cat

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Sam Raimi's debut feature "The Evil Dead" plays with all of the… More[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]
Sam Raimi's debut feature "The Evil Dead" plays with all of the stereotypes of typical horror cinema and decides quite smartly to mess them up and satirise them. It is the perfect demonstration of a director giving homage to the genre he loves whilst introducing new and innovative ideas. When you consider that horror movies generally need a plot and strong bulid up's for creating atmospheres, The Evil Dead escapes the limitations of narrative. It underhandedly manges to mold that creepy eeriness and mashes up all the conventions of horror in a way that only it's 2 sequels and the recent Joss Whedon offering "The Cabin in The Woods" has managed to pull off. Like Pulp Fiction which has inspired many neo noir thrillers the irony is the fact that it was an homage in itself. The Evil Dead is similar in the sense that it pays tribute to scuzzy, slimy, bloodbath horrorfests of it's time. And the gore is terrifically made. Just when I thought the film couldn't be any more inventive it threw more crafty oceans of blood in my face. I had a hell of a time watching it. Bruce Campbell's performance is fantastic, although I can't really say the same for the rest of the cast. One of the greatest spectacles of this film is the fast, slick, and often slanted direction from Raimi. Also the idea that it was filmed on a budget of less than 1 million dollars is amazing. The Evil Dead just proves that money doesn't mean everything. All it really takes is a good story and loads of ambition. It's a film that cuts to the chase and works as a result of it. It's very much unrestrained, no nonsense fun. It scared me, it made me jump, it made me laugh more than a few times, and sometimes did all at once. If it was made without it's campiness and surreal tone it would have failed to work as a horror comedy. It proves that at his best, Raimi is a genius filmmaker. The determination of the once young and energetic director is not displayed anywhere else better other than in the Evil Dead trilogy, it's no wonder that it maintains a massive cult status.

Melvin White

Linda: We're going to get you. We're going to get you. Not another peep. Time to go to sleep.
"Can they be stopped?"
The Evil Dead is… MoreLinda: We're going to get you. We're going to get you. Not another peep. Time to go to sleep.
"Can they be stopped?"
The Evil Dead is truly a great example of how a small budget can make a horror film great. The success of The Evil Dead doesn't have everything to do with a low budget, but there's no denying that it doesn't help a lot. Also a very clever filmmaker like Sam Raimi just make things all the better. The way the film is shot is amazing and it adds a lot to the creepiness and atmosphere of the film. The angles are well thought out. Plus you have to love all the little horror details that Raimi through in. Blood dripping from every pore of the house, a bench that swings as if someone were in it, the decrepitness of the cabin. Every little detail is does basically to perfection. The film falls off slightly with the details of the characters, but it honestly doesn't even matter.†
Five friends venture into the woods for a trip to a cheap cabin that is secluded there. After narrowly missing a big car crash and barely making it over an old bride, they arrive at the cabin and believe they are safe. After finding a cellar, Ash comes across a tape and tape machine and decides to play it. The tape is of a doctor that lived there years before with his wife, and he he speaking about strange things. All of a sudden when he reads something in Latin, all hell breaks loose. Soon the friends find themselves slowly being picked off by a force that is beyond their comprehension.
Sam Raimi obviously turned the horror world on its head with this film and gave a whole new spin on the flesh eating zombie/demon possessing sub-genre. There's no denying the influence this film has become on the horror genre, especially the low-budget horror films. It's as close to a masterpiece as a film like this can come, and it's definitely one every horror buff and film fan needs to see.†

Samuel Riley

A superb yet really, really creepy horror, which makes 'The Evil Dead' one of the finest horror movies out there. What makes this gore fest stand out… MoreA superb yet really, really creepy horror, which makes 'The Evil Dead' one of the finest horror movies out there. What makes this gore fest stand out is its unique scene between a woman and a tree. Although I enjoy 'Evil Dead II' the most, I'll never forget the shock this film gave me the very first time I saw it. In fact, I can never get over the pencil in the ankle scene. This film not only made a superb start for both Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, it led to the creation of one of the biggest cult franchises out there.

MisterYoda ?

three stars

Carlos Magalh„es

A fun splatter movie with tons of gore that make it so gruesome and funny. It is cheesy, silly and poorly made, with awful acting and many filming and… MoreA fun splatter movie with tons of gore that make it so gruesome and funny. It is cheesy, silly and poorly made, with awful acting and many filming and continuity errors, but compensated by an amazing make-up and bizarre sense of humor.

Chris Weber

Man, this is one intense film! This is an excellent example of how someone can take a small amount of money, and do so much with it. Basic story: a group of… MoreMan, this is one intense film! This is an excellent example of how someone can take a small amount of money, and do so much with it. Basic story: a group of friends go to spend a weekend at a cabin in the woods, and accidentally unleash the fury of some dark forces. That's it. That's all you need really, as the simplicity allows for much creativity and variation. The brilliance of this film lies within the eerie atmosphere and mood, and the creepy cinematography. It's also cool to note that Joel Coen worked on this as an editor, and some of the camera moves here were later used by him and Ethan in Raising Arizona Some of the gore and blood (and there's lots of it) looks a little bit dated, but that does not hurt the film-imagination and creativity overshadow the fact that the effects were made on a tight budget. The acting, while not Oscar-worthy, is very good and believable. Bruce Campbell gets put through the wringer in this one, and he does magnificently. Sam Raimi's career is built on this film, and I shudder to think what it would be like had he not made this seminal and influential horror film. Simply put, this is a must see.

KJ Proulx

The Evil Dead is one of the scariest films I have ever seen in my life. Definitely my choice for best horror of all time. It delivers on it's gruesome and… MoreThe Evil Dead is one of the scariest films I have ever seen in my life. Definitely my choice for best horror of all time. It delivers on it's gruesome and disturbing chills throughout. I found myself covering my eyes at scenes, which I have never once done in a film before. From the gory realism, to the formalistic over-the-top chase sequences, to the cheesy but awesome dialogue, to the terrifying creatures, "The Evil Dead" stands alone in it's genre. I loved this movie from start to finish, and it is a movie that I will never forget!

Eugene Bernabe

Sam Raimi's classical horror flick is dark, sadistic and at times hysterical. Bruce Campbell delivers in this low-budgeted film that produces enough blood,… MoreSam Raimi's classical horror flick is dark, sadistic and at times hysterical. Bruce Campbell delivers in this low-budgeted film that produces enough blood, humor and suspense to drive audiences into the same fear and terror that was atmospherically portrayed. 3.5/5

Daniel Mumby

When John Carpenter was interviewed for the Masters of Horror documentary in 2002, he commented that his generation of filmmakers (Tobe Hopper, Wes Craven,… MoreWhen John Carpenter was interviewed for the Masters of Horror documentary in 2002, he commented that his generation of filmmakers (Tobe Hopper, Wes Craven, David Cronenberg and the like) became revered because they could break with the rules and generic conventions more than any generation before or since. Their arrival coincided with huge advances in special effects which enabled them to physicalize metaphors and express terror like never before.
While it may not have the metaphorical or narrative weight of Carpenter's The Thing or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Evil Dead is very much a part of this broad trend of unbridled and unbounded horror filmmaking. Sam Raimi's debut effort remains a milestone in the pantheon of gory shockers, and is tied with An American Werewolf in London as the yardstick for horror-comedy. Most of all, it's one of the most original and demented horror films that you are ever likely to see.
Much of The Evil Dead's reputation is rooted in its notorious mistreatment during the video nasties panic of the 1980s. In the early days of home video, the British censors had no direct power to certify or cut films that were being imported on video from Europe or America. This enabled the likes of Driller Killer and Cannibal Holocaust to be viewed uncut in British homes, resulting in a moral panic and a misjudged remedy by the British government.
The Director of Public Prosecutions drew up a list of imported titles which could be prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act - the definition of obscene being "likely to deprave and corrupt a significant proportion of its likely audience." The Evil Dead was perceived to be obscene because it was visually so far beyond anything that casual film audiences (i.e. non-horror fans) had ever seen before. It was banned on video outright, with a severely cut version emerging in 1992 and the film only seeing the full light of day in 2001.
Whatever one's attitude towards the BBFC and its often draconian policies, it isn't difficult to see why The Evil Dead would have caused so much of a fuss. Raimi's debut is a relentless piece of filmmaking, which treats its audience and characters with no mercy whatsoever. It never flinches in its depiction of violence or the lengths to which it is prepared to go to make us shrink away in revulsion, laugh our heads off, or - most subversively - do both at once.
Raimi famously described The Evil Dead as "a Three Stooges movie, with blood and guts standing in for custard pies." He believed, in other words, that the aesthetic sensibility of horror and comedy were very close, and that pain could and should be funny. The Evil Dead takes the mechanics of slapstick comedy, which is built around physical pain and embarrassment, and covers them in gallons and gallons of blood. We find ourselves laughing at the jokes while being scared to death by the monsters that are providing them, and the whole experience is immensely enjoyable.
If we compare The Evil Dead to An American Werewolf in London, their differences illuminate this mechanism further. American Werewolf is a very close descendant of old-school horror-comedies like Young Frankenstein: it begins as a comedy, then brings in the horror elements to increase the comic potential of the characters, and only becomes truly horrifying in its final act.
The Evil Dead, on the other hand, introduces the language of horror first of all and then applies it to put a unique twist on several comedy elements. The premise of the film is essentially comedic: a group of students go to a cabin in the woods, accidentally awaken evil spirits, and try to stop them without becoming possessed. The film recognises the ridiculous nature of its setup, and pokes fun at the zombie genre while revelling in its revoltingness.
If you go into the film looking for a subtext, you'll very quickly draw a blank. If you wanted to stretch a point, you could say that the film is a satire of the final-girl scenario of horror movies, but even then there is little on show to support this. The film eschews George A. Romero's approach of making zombies allegorical, preferring to use them as relentless sources of comedy, whether the pain is inflicted by them or upon them. The gore is funny because it is so knowingly over-the-top: it goes for a river of blood instead of a steady drip, and has Bruce Campbell repeatedly bashed with a poker when one blow would be more than enough to hurt him.
The horror trappings of The Evil Dead are easy to recognise for fans of the genre. Raimi was greatly inspired by the work of H. P. Lovecraft, with the Book of the Dead being essentially the Necronomicon (a resemblance which the sequels embraced). The demonic force which attacks the cabin is also Lovecraftian, insofar as it has a complete and malevolent ambivalence towards humanity. And the use of fog to create a creepy atmosphere is as old as Gothic horror itself.
What makes The Evil Dead so scary is the way in which Raimi executes the set-pieces, building up unbearable tension, making us scream or flinch and then finding ourselves laughing either at the excess or out of sheer nerves. His camerawork is extremely kinetic, and is structured so that we are see much of the action from the demons' POV. The famous shot of the demon racing through the woods fills us with genuine dread, and as with Hallowe'en it gives the impression that we are constantly being watched. Even in its quietest moments the film never lets us settle: the scale of the onslaught builds and builds so that the silences are as unbearable as the shocks.
The special effects on the film are endearingly low-budget. The running shots from the demons' POV were achieved by mounting the camera on a plank of wood and hanging it between two members of the crew. The make-up is very distinctive, using the old staples of corn syrup and non-dairy coffee creamer to full effect. Even today the final scenes of bodies decaying, filmed entirely in clay and coloured plasticene, have an endearingly disgusting feel to them.
The scrungy, B-movie appeal is cemented in the casting of Bruce Campbell, Raimi's long-time friend and collaborator who became a cult icon through his involvement in the series. Campbell brings an element of irony to the situation: he is the chisel-jawed masculine hero, faithful to convention in a film which follows few rules. He has charisma to spare and brilliant comic timing, embracing the central conceit so well that he never risks feeling like cannon fodder when the evil dead are preying on him.
The Evil Dead is not a perfect film. Even if we excuse and embrace the shortcomings in the acting and effects (as we should), the tree rape sequence is still very difficult to live with. Fans of the film may leap to its defence as an example of the film's absurdity, but it feels nasty for all the wrong reasons, making us feel repulsed without contextualising it among the other scares. Raimi himself regrets including the scene, and sensibly took it out of the sequel six years later.
The Evil Dead remains a milestone in horror comedy and one of the most original debut features of the 1980s. For all its shortcomings, its place in horror history is assured, whether as a balls-out, no-holes-barred shocker or as a truly terrifying adrenaline ride. The level of excess in which it revels will separate the men from the boys, but those who stay the distance will be immensely rewarded and relieved. Above all it's a really great film, even if it takes a long time to work out why.